Kathmandu— Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, an engineer from Gurjihawa in Nepal’s Dang district, contacted his family Thursday afternoon after being out of communication for 28 hours following devastating floods on the Bhotekoshi River. Chaudhary, who works at Upper Trishuli Hydropower, was stranded in the flood-affected area Wednesday morning when the river swelled and cut off all outside communication; he was rescued by a Nepal Army team and transported to Kathmandu. His family had grown increasingly worried as attempts to reach him by phone failed, and they were only able to confirm his safety after learning of his rescue.

Flood Strikes Hydropower Facility

Chaudhary explained that he and his colleagues were at the Upper Trishuli Hydropower office when the flooding began. He described a sudden loss of communication as the Bhotekoshi River rapidly rose, stating, “While we were at the office, the Bhotekoshi River suddenly flooded. After that, we lost contact with the outside world.” He recounted the experience as feeling like an earthquake initially, before realizing the danger was from the surging floodwaters.

Rescue and Relief

A Nepal Army team successfully rescued Chaudhary and his colleagues at approximately 3 pm on Thursday, bringing them to Kathmandu. Describing his relief, Chaudhary said, “By grace of god, I feel like I have been given a second life.” He noted that in his five years working as an engineer at the hydropower plant, he had never witnessed such a severe disaster.

Family’s Worry and Reunion

Chaudhary's family and relatives in Dang expressed significant worry during the 28-hour period they were unable to reach him. They attempted various methods of contact before finally receiving confirmation of his safety through reports of the Army rescue. The family was relieved to be reunited with Chaudhary, who is now resting with them in Kathmandu.

Chaudhary is currently recovering with his family in Kathmandu after the ordeal.

(With inputs from RN)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.